The MERLIST | OOR VY sof Nes # Get s. 
with two large, crooked, black claws, accom- 
panied by others of a finaller fize*. The ani- 
mal makes ufe of all thefe to run down the 
web, and to guide and govern it. 
I cannot determine, whether the Englifh 
Spiders have the fame properties, as Lifter 
fays pofitively, ‘‘ All Spiders have three joints 
“in their legs.” But fince this gentleman 
thinks that all Spiders have two antennz, or 
horns, which are inferted in the head next to, 
and above the darts, I fhould not agree with him 
in this affertion; for though I have never feen 
the Englifh Spider, yet I can eafily fee from 
other foreign kinds, and their limbs, that this 
is repugnant to the nature of Spiders. In order 
to folve this difficulty, I fhall briefly relate 
what I have obferved, concerning this matter, 
in my Spinner. By examining the Spider be- 
fore defcribed, I found that thofe two joints, 
and all the other legs, are fixed to the breatt ; 
but with this difference, that the place of their 
connection with the breaft is higher, on account 
of the thicknefs of the hair; and this I judged 
to have been done, left they fhould impede the 
action of the limbs, wherewith the {picula or 
darts are united, and that thefe joints may 
move with more eafe. I have alfo obferved, 
that they confift of fix, or perhaps of feven 
joints, which I fhall not pofitively affirm; 
wherefore they are, for this reafon, like legs, 
as Dr. Lifter has alfo obferved, where he fays, 
“* Thefe, like feet, confift of certain joints.” 
But what deferves the greateft attention, is, 
that every one of thefe has a claw fixed to 
the end of it, that is foméwhat crooked and 
blackith: wherefore, thefe may very properly 
be called the fifth pair of legs; and the rather, 
becaufe they have their mufcles on the infide, 
as the other legs have, and are rough with hair 
and prickly briftles. However, many reafons 
induce me to think, that they ought not to 
be reckoned among the legs, fince in the whole 
tribe of Spiders they are not fhaped in this 
manner, but ina great many they refemble the 
claws of Lobfters and Scorpions. This is vi- 
fible in the Flea-Spider, in which thefe limbs 
very nearly refemble a pair of tongs or pincers, 
only that they want the great toe, as appears 
by one now in my cuftody.; I am obliged to 
refer to this, as nothing remarkable or ufeful 
can be obferved at this time, for I am writing 
this in the month of December; but I can 
demonttrate this fo clearly, in another {pinning 
Spider I have, that there can be no room for 
doubting: for firft, we may fee two darts or 
arrows in this; then, thefe arms are formed 
with fuch wonderful art, as not to be inferior 
to the inimitable workmanthip which we ad- 
mire in our own hands, 
Thefe arms are divided into different joints, 
at the end of which we fee a {mall concave 
and convex part, covered with hair: this re- 
21 
fembles, in afpect, a piece of the white of an 
egg divided into four parts. At the end of 
this {mall part, there is in every arm a ‘little 
rifing fomewhat like a finger. There are alfo 
on thefe {mall hairy parts, others worthy our 
obfervation, each of which is joined on the 
inward concave fide, to the bafis of thefe hairy 
parts, fo as that the latter may protect, and, 
for the greater fafety, hide the former. The 
firft of thefe parts is divided into two joints 
placed one upon the other, to the lower of 
which is joined a real but obtufe forceps, of 
a mixed light red and blackith colour, whereby 
the arms are connected together. To the other 
joint, which is fomewhat higher, is joined an 
obtufe or blunt little claw, of a colour inclin- 
ing to a bright red. We further find, that 
another fmall, and, as it were, blunted part, 
is articulated at the root of the firft part, where- 
on lies the forceps; on the end of this are 
three {mall toes or crooked claws, which are 
not placed, nor formed, in the fame manner, 
and whofe moving mufcles are hidden in the 
{mall blunted part. Thus it is plain, that thefe 
-arms are differently framed, according to the 
different kind of the Spider. 
From thefe inftances, therefore, it is clear as 
the light at noon day, that thefe limbs or mem- 
bers ought not to be called antenne, feelers or 
horns, but real arms, and that neither Spiders 
nor Scorpions have any horns. But as the 
brachia, or arms, before defcribed, are formed 
with amazing art, I have therefore thought 
proper to preferve them dried ; in order to have 
them ready to fhew on any occafion. 
I likewife obferve,'that the long-footed Spi- 
der has no feelers or horns, but its-arms are 
provided with, at leaft, one crooked black claw; 
that reaches beyond the end of the arm. The 
legs, with refpec to the joints, are like the legs 
of the fpinner before defcribed ; and what is 
properly called the foot, feems to be divided 
into two feveral joints, that have two claws at 
the end of them. But I cannot further invet- 
tigate thefe matters at this time, being now in 
the midit of winter, and having no Spiders, but 
fuch as are dried and preferved ; in which, but 
efpecially in the large venomous ones, that 
I keep, it is very evident that Spiders have no 
horns or feelers. 
Talfo have Lifter’s {mall crimfon Spider, 
but as this is alfo dried, we cannot difcover 
the proportion of the ends of the arms, but 
we may fee that they are fomewhat thicker 
than the legs. 
I obferve in the green, fmall, and long-bel- 
lied Spider, of that illuftrious Englifhman, that 
thefe arms have likewife a plain claw at the 
end of them. The fame is obfervable in other 
Spiders which I have, nor is there any that has 
not the fore joint armed in the manner before- 
mentioned, 
% There is 4 remarkable property in the Crab, in breaking off a wounded limb at a particular joint. This has been exemplified 
at large in the Philofophical Tranfa€tions. 
the limb at a peculiar place above, 
If the laft joint of a leg be wounded, the Crab, by a peculiar motion, breaks off 
and a new one grows in its place. 
The fame happens in fome fpecies of the Spider, 
G I think, 
